Part of helping people is reminding them it is natural and expected for disaster victims to be afraid and unnerved, but talking about it and sharing those feelings with others in the same situation is helpful.

For parents comforting children, Spielman advised ac-knowledging emotions to let youngsters know what they are feeling is OK, but maintaining control at the same time.

"An adult (can) say to a child, 'everything's going to be OK, but Mommy's scared, too,'" said Spielman.

At the same time, however, Spielman said it is important for parents to remain as calm as possible, so as not to unnecessarily alarm children.

"Don't forget, that small child is depending on the parents for comfort," he reminded.

Spielman also said physical contact with children is very comforting and reminds them they are not alone or abandoned.

In the midst of an emergency, Spielman recommended doing deep breathing exercises, both to have something to focus on and to stay as relaxed as possible.